1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an imaging technique (or a shooting technique, a camera technique) called time slice, bullet time, or the like is known. In the imaging technique, multiple imaging devices (for example, video cameras) are arranged around a target object (for example, an object such as a person). In this case, the multiple imaging devices are arranged such that optical axes of the respective imaging devices pass through a predetermined position in the target object. By sequentially displaying images imaged by the multiple imaging devices, it becomes possible to display video as if the video was imaged by an imaging device moving around the target object by using the passing position of the optical axes as the center. For example, when images imaged by the imaging devices at an arbitrary time are sequentially displayed, it becomes possible to express video as if the video was imaged by an imaging device moving around a target object while the time was stopped at this time. Such an imaging technique is used in, for example, movies, sports broadcasting, and the like. In the following, the above described passing position of the optical axes may be described as a “rotation center”.
However, in the above described conventional imaging technique, it is difficult to display video by using an arbitrary position as the rotation center. Specifically, in the conventional imaging technique, it is only possible to display video by using a position designated at the time of imaging as the rotation center. Therefore, in the conventional imaging technique, to display video using an arbitrary position as the rotation center, imaging is performed a number of times by changing the passing position of the optical axes of the respective imaging devices. This is not practical because time and labor for the imaging increase. Therefore, in the conventional imaging technique, it is difficult to display video by using an arbitrary position as the rotation center.